Brotherhood of Judgment
The Raven Company was a military company loyal to the lands of Avern and its leader, Lord Viktor Kingsmith. Created during a prosperous time as a means to protect the wealth of the land, the Raven Company served with honor until the events of the Third War, which saw the bulk of its number slaughtered by the Undead Scourge. Since the Third War leadership of the company changed hands many times, before the company was eventually disbanded by Duke Zephon Carhagen after the bulk of its remaining members were killed by a powerful Death Knight and Fleshcrafter known as the Flayer of the Hand. History The Raven Company was formed during the prosperous months of the small, primarily human land of Avern. Once a rather mediocre land, the discovery of rare metals and gems in the mines beneath the city of Avern created a vast amount of trade and wealth for region. Knowing that as knowledge spread there would be those who would seek to take advantage of such a small nation, the current ruler of Avern, Lord Viktor Kingsmith, used some of his own wealth, and that of the nation, to increase the power of his loyal military forces. He saw to the creation, training and arming of four companies, all named after birds that he knew lived in the region. They were the Kingfisher Company, the Falcon Company, the Eagle Company and the Raven Company. Each company was given an area of Avern to watch over, and for many years they performed their duties exceptionally well. The fall of the Avernian military would come during the events of the Third War, when the Undead Scourge ravaged the world. While the city of Avern was spared from the plague, the lands outside the city were not so lucky. The Scourge assaulted all the settlements and farmlands, slaughtering any who lived, regardless of their station. Falcon Company was destroyed entirely, forcing the remaining three companies to band together in an attempt to hold back the undead forces. They were ultimately unsuccessful, the bulk of their number were eradicated, and the survivors were forced behind the walls of the city of Avern, where they had the grim duty to defend the city and the civilians within from the undead who now assaulted the walls. Unfortunately for the survivors, there was little in the way of available leadership. The bulk of the commanding officers had been killed during the attempted defense of the lands outside the city, Viktor Kingsmith was also dead, having been killed during the fall of Lordaeron City along with his wife, and the sons of Viktor were all serving in military positions outside of Avern and were unable to come to the aid of the city. That left command of the remaining military forces in the hands of Gregor Doran, a seasoned soldier who had served during the Second War, but not one accustomed to leadership. Taking up the mantle of Commander, he lead the defense of Avern against the Undead Scourge as the rest of Lordaeron fell around them. For many years Commander Doran held fast against the undead forces. The walls and gates of Avern were too thick and durable to be breached by ordinary siege weapons, and spells were countered by the actions of Archmage Wells, an elderly magi who had returned from Dalaran shortly before the Scourge invaded Lordaeron. Despite the best attempts of Commander and Archmage however the gates were eventually breached when the Scourge brought their undead giants onto the field. As the military fell back to the keep, they attempted to protect as many civilians as they could, but it was not enough, the bulk of the people of Avern were slain and were either torn to pieces or raised into undeath. Knowing that a last stand would be required by what few forces remained among the living. Commander Doran worked together with Archmage Wells to send what few civilians survived to a safe place, along with a few military personnel to protect them on the other side of the portal. Of all the military forces that had been stationed at Avern in the defense of the city, only seven managed to escape through the portal, the rest fought against the Scourge to the last soldier as Archmage Wells closed the portal, ensuring that no undead followed the survivors, even though it meant that he would have to sacrifice himself in the process. ----- The surviving members of the Raven Company found themselves in the lands of Arathi, far from their homeland, with many unsure of where to go. Scouts were sent out, and by luck it seemed, one of them located the last surviving member of the Kingsmith House, Aretain Kingsmith, who had been serving as a teacher for the forces of an Arathi Lord. Knowing that the safety of his people was the priority, Aretain left the camp of the Arathi soldiers and traveled with his people, searching for a place where they could settle away from the conflict that they had suffered through for so many years. Eventually it was decided that Outland was the best place for a resettlement, and so the town of Seedfall was constructed within Terrokar Forest, and the bulk of the Raven Company went into a form of semi-retirement while Aretain returned to the Alliance to assist them in conflicts that had arisen in Pandaria. However, as time wore on Aretain realized that he would need help if he was to succeed in his tasks for the Alliance. Not eager to bring his surviving soldiers into conflict once again, but having no other choice, he sent out the call for the remaining members of the Raven Company to assemble at Lion's Landing before they reformed as a mercenary company under the same name. During the battles that were waged across Pandaria, they added another member to their company, a hulking brute of a man by the name of Bitores Black who used his great strength to crush any who stood before him, mainly Zandalari Trolls and Mogu Warriors. Sadly for the Company, tragedy was to strike once again in the form of betrayal. During the Campaign against the Thunder King, Aretain Kingsmith was betrayed by rogue agents of the Kirin Tor before being handed over to the Mogu. Leaderless once again, the Raven Company was quickly placed under the command of Zephon Carhagen, Aretain's godfather and bodyguard while they continued to fight the Mogu forces. Eventually after the fall of the Thunder King, they found Aretain within the depths of the Mogu fortress, but not as the man he once was. Tortured by the Mogu before being subjected to the darkest of magical rituals, Aretain had been turned into a wraith, before being bound to his own armor. Now an undead creature, many of the Raven Company refused to follow him, the pain inflicted upon them by the Scourge still fresh in their minds. To his credit, Aretain realized that he would never be able to lead his people in his cursed form, and so he passed leadership of the Raven Company and Seedfall to Zephon Carhagen before he left the Thunder King's palace for good. ----- Following the change of leadership, Zephon led the Raven Company to many victories, but while he was a great military man, he was not the most diplomatic, and had never been exposed to the world of politics. Facing mounting pressure from noble houses, Zephon was forced to withdraw the Raven Company from Pandaria and future conflicts, which meant that neither served during the Siege of Orgrimmar. Unfortunately even such a withdrawal was not enough, and eventually Zephon was forced to seek out a new land to settle, as the pressure of the nobles who rallied against him was stifling his nation and there was little he could do to stop it without someone in a position of power to aid him. It seemed incredibly coincidental then that Zephon would be offered a position within the Kingdom of Quel'Athillien, which was led by Queen Rennali Sunwhisper, a high-elf Queen who he had managed to befriend in the brief time he lead the people of Seedfall. Taking up the offered position, Zephon migrated his people to the Kingdom of Quel'Athillien, along with the Raven Company, where he took up the position of the Duke of Andune. Among the Raven Company he appointed several of them as Barons, while others were kept as his personal guard. The Raven Company as it had once existed was no more, but they could still assemble and fight should the need arise. Such a time came far too soon however, as months later the Andune Duchy was assaulted by an old nemesis of Zephon Carhagen, a brutal Fleshcrafter known as the Flayer of the Hand. During the Third War this Death Knight had hunted down and killed many of the Paladins that he had once called brother and sister, and had almost claimed his own life, and now it seemed, he had returned to finish the job. The settlement of Two Stones within his duchy was razed to the ground, and the Baron and his wife, both members of the Raven Company had died during the defense. Desperate to not lose any more of his people, he assembled the free members of the Raven Company, those who were not acting Barons, and sent them on a scouting mission to determine the location of the enemy. They never returned, and when Zephon finally assembled the forces needed to take the battle to the enemy, he discovered why. The Fleshcrafter had managed to kill them all, leaving one to rot, while turning three others into his own horrible creations, two of which Zephon and the loyal forces that served within him were forced to put down. Rather than see the remaining Raven Company members be turned into undead soldiers, Zephon resolved to disband the company. Only two others remained at the time of the disbandment, both serving as Barons within the Andune Duchy. The Raven Company had seen its last act of service. Members Bitores Black Bitores Black was the largest member of the Raven Company. A Tanari who encountered the Raven Company after his own party was slaughtered by a Mogu patrol, he joined the company and continued to serve with them throughout the battles which were waged in Pandaria. Following the transition to Quel'Athillen, Bitores was given the rank of Baron and control over the settlement of Blakeswood and the surrounding territory. He continues to serve as the Baron to this day. Ethan Henderson Originally nothing more than a banker within the city of Avern, Ethan was forced to learn how to wield the sword when the Scourge invaded the lands he called home. He was a quick study and was brought into the Raven Company to serve in the defense. When the city fell to the Scourge, he was one of the seven who were assigned to protect the civilians who escaped through the portal created by Archmage Wells. He continued to serve in the Raven Company throughout the battles that followed. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Ethan was given the rank of Baron and control over the settlement of Two Stones and the surrounding territory. Unfortunately, the settlement was the first target of the Flayer of the Hand, and his undead army razed the city, annihilating the local garrison. Ethan was stabbed through the back by one of the Fleshcrafters, Corpse Knights before being beheaded, his head left as a warning to any who came to the town to search for survivors. Jakob Nivens Jakob Nivens was one of the Lord's Hunters, men who would accompany the serving Lord of Avern on his hunting trips. A master of the longbow, he joined the Raven Company willingly when the Scourge assaulted Avern. He survived the fall of the city, and the battles that followed in Pandaria. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Jakob resumed his duties as the last of the Lord's Hunters, taking it upon himself to train a new generation of men to take his place. Unfortunately he never managed to finish the training. When Two Stones was destroyed he was one of four Raven Company members sent out to scout for the enemy. During the scouting mission his party was ambushed by the Fleshcrafters minions and he was slain before being raised to serve as one of the Fleshcrafter's champions. Becoming one of the Three Kings of the Raven, Jakob defended the Fleshcrafter's Laboratory as Zephon Carhagen and his loyal party ventured within. Using his longbow with the same efficiency and skill he had in life, he fought against his former leader and his allies until he was defeated and killed for the second time. Jessica Irons Jessica Irons was the adopted daughter of Richard Arving. Skilled with a blade, she also served as the company blacksmith. She fought in the defense of Avern, surviving to continue the fight in Pandaria. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Jessica resumed her duties as a blacksmith. When the Fleshcrafter attacked the village of Two Stones, she was summoned to serve as one of the scouts. Attacked during the mission, she was cut off from her fellow Raven Company allies before she was slain, although she managed to kill many of the Fleshcrafter's minions before she breathed her last breath. Since she was cut off from her companions, her body was not taken and reanimated, it was left to rot where it fell. It was discovered by Zephon Carhagen and his allies some time later. Karen Henderson Karen Henderson was a simple baker when she lived in the city of Avern. Married to Ethan Henderson the two were inseparable and when he decided to join the military to defend Avern from the Scourge she followed in his footsteps. She survived the fall of Avern and the battles in Pandaria, staying with her husband the entire time. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Karen returned to her life as a baker in the village of Two Stones. Sadly she perished along with her husband when the settlement fell to the minions of the Fleshcrafter. Richard Arving Richard Arving was the Spymaster and Master Assassin within the city of Avern, he served Viktor Kingsmith loyally for many years, and defended the city of Avern during the siege by the Undead Scourge. He was one of the few chosen to go with the civilians by Gregor Doran, his skills being deemed too valuable to lose in a heroic last stand. As such he accompanied the survivors of the Raven Company to Arathi and then on to Outland and then Pandaria. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Richard was given the duties of Andune liaison, as well as control over the Barony of Uderonton. He survived the war with the Fleshcrafter, and continues to serve in his many duties to this day. Stephan Orenas Stephan Orenas was a knight in the service of Viktor Kingsmith. Already part of the military, he served in the defense of the city of Avern until its fall and was chosen to travel with the survivors rather than be forced to make a last stand with Gregor Doran. He fought with the Raven Company in all the battles that followed. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Stephan took on the role of the Captain of the Andune Lancers, the cavalry that served Andune and its Duke, Zephon Carhagen. Despite his senior position, when the village of Two Stones was razed he was called up to serve in the scouting party to discover the enemy location. He and his party were ambushed and killed, with his body being reanimated to serve as one of the Three Kings of the Raven. When Zephon and his allies invaded the Fleshcrafter's laboratory he fought against them with an unholy greatsword. Despite his enhanced speed and strength, gifts from the Fleshcrafter himself, it was not enough to allow Stephan to win the battle, and he was cut down during the battle. Zeig Lancaster Zeig Lancaster was the squire of Stephan Orenas. During the defense of Avern he proved himself many times and was given a rushed knighthood as a reward shortly before the city fell to the Scourge. It was Zeig who was tasked with delivering the news of Avern's fall to Aretain Kingsmith, and as such he escaped with the survivors. He relayed the news to Aretain as commanded and then willingly joined the Raven Company as they fought across Pandaria. Following the transition to Quel'Athillien, Zeig served within the Andune Lancers under Stephan Orenas. Like Stephan he was called up when the village of Two Stones was razed and served in the scouting company that searched for the enemy. Unfortunately for Zeig, the party was ambushed and killed by the Fleshcrafter's minions and his body was taken and raised into undeath. Zeig served as one of the Three Kings of the Raven and fought against Zephon and his allies with a sword and shield. During the battle, a powerful blow from an Orc managed to cleave off Zeig's shield arm, leaving the warrior defenseless. Despite the disadvantage he managed to hold his own and withdraw from the battle. His whereabouts currently unknown it is suggested that he continues to ride with the Fleshcrafter as they torment Azeroth with new undead creations. Zephon Carhagen See Wiki Page: Zephon Carhagen